Make the units quiet. A family that just moved from a home in the suburbs will not expect to be able to hear what's going on in a neighbor's unit.
Be prepared for consultants. As with the interiors expert, future residents may want to bring in outside experts on various aspects of project. Simply having an extra pair of eyes watching construction can reduce warranty costs, Mendelsohn says.
In return, developing or building a cohousing community can be an opportunity to develop a green reputation for yourself and will likely bring you more media coverage than an ordinary project, Mendelsohn says.
And if you enjoy collaborative efforts, working on cohousing offers you the opportunity for plenty of feedback at every stage of the process.